Motherhood, Childhood, and Selfhood: Psychoanalytic Reflections by Mali Mann

n Motherhood, Childhood, and Selfhood, Mali Mann delves into psychoanalytic understandings of the complex dynamics of new motherhood and innovative ways of forming families. Reproductive technology raises questions about our notions of the pre-Oedipal mother, the Oedipal complex, and attachment patterns to primary caregivers. Represents the impact of immigration on motherhood; other women chose to become single mothers. Presents their complex experiences, driven by an interplay of intrapsychic, interpersonal, and sociocultural factors. Family formation through surrogacy in same-sex marriages and lesbian motherhood, which has led to social and legal changes, is one of its aspects. This is an important book for the psychoanalytic clinician interested in the clinical and theoretical aspects of motherhood, immigration and motherhood along with child development.
–Patricia Alkolombre, Ph.D., Overall Chair Committee on Women and Psychoanalysis

This is a widely ranging book that focuses on contemporary issues regarding procreating, parenting, and children’s experiences. Dr. Mann brings her deep and longstanding interests in the psychological aspects of non-traditional families, immigrant families, and technological advances in reproductive assistance to bear on these vital issues for psychoanalysts and other mental health clinicians. Her moving and compelling clinical vignettes constitute the core of this volume.
–Steven Goldberg

In this compelling exploration of modern motherhood and childhood, Dr. Mali Mann draws on her extensive experience as a psychoanalyst to illuminate the complex realities confronting today’s families. This book delves into the evolving landscape of parenting, where the challenges of infertility, cultural dislocation, and shifting family dynamics intertwine with psychodynamic themes of attachment and identity. Dr. Mann candidly addresses the often-unspoken experiences of shame that can accompany motherhood, offering fresh perspectives that resonate with both historical and modern psychoanalytic thought. Through rich clinical narratives, she highlights the emotional complexities mothers face today, illuminating how these struggles shape their children’s psychological development. This book is an essential resource for psychoanalysts and family practitioners alike, offering profound insights into the dynamics of modern motherhood and the intricate journey of raising healthy children in an increasingly complex world.
–Anne Adelman